Method of imparting suede finish to woven paper hats



Patented Sept. 1 1931 I warren STATES,

MAXWELL SILVER, BRONX, EW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 FARRINGTON & EVANS, INCL,

PATENT OFFIE OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD OF IMPAE'IING SUEDE FINISH 'IO WOVEN PAPER HATS No Drawing.

I This invention relates to apparel and more particularly to a hat of the woven paper type and one object of the invention is to provide an improved method of refinishing a woven paper hat and imparting thereto a soft finish closely resembling suede or a similar fabric having a silky finish.

Another object of the invention is to so treat .the woven paper hat that when the treatment is completed the hat will not only have the appearance. of being formed of suede or a similar 'm'aterialbut will be very soft when touched and may be rolled or crumpled without being injured.

Another object of the invention is to so treat the hat that when it is refinished to produce the suede-like appearance and feel it will not lose its water-proof qualities and not be damaged by exposure to rain.

The hats which are used in order to pro duce the new type of hat resulting from employing the method constituting the subject matter of this invention are hats which are made in Japan although they may be made in other countries. These hats are formed of paper which is plaited to form strips and the strips then sewed in such a manner that the finished hat closely resembles a hat of the type known as a Panama. hat or similar types such as a peanut hat or bangkok-hat. These hats are water-proof and resemble soft straw and as they are treated with a sizing they have a shiny finish. As previously stated hats so made are imported from Japan in large quantities and sold as imitation Panama hats.

In order to transform a hat manufactured as set forth above into a hat having the ap pearance and feel of suede or a soft fabric having a silky finish, the hat is fitted upon a rotatably mounted block of the proper size and rotated at a suitable speed. The entire surface of the hat is then gone over with emery cloth of the number 2 grade and after the outside of the hathas been so treated in order to remove the original shiny finish and roughen the surface the hat is turned inside out and after being replaced upon the block the inside surface of the hat gone over with the emery cloth.

Application filed March 28, 1931. Serial No. 526,125.

After the shiny finish has been removed by the emery paper and a nap produced by the roughening action of the emery paper this nap is to be brought to a velvety or suede like finish and in order to do so there is employed a wire brush having aback of soft rubber which may be reinforced by canvas or a similar flexible material. A wire brush having a flexible back is employed'so that it may be held in the operators hand and moved into proper engagement with all portions of the exposed surface of the hat as the hatrotates.

Both the inside and the outside of the hat are operated upon by the wire brush, first one side and then the other and of course the hat is continuously rotated.

The hat is then again gone over with emery cloth but thistime emery cloth of the one and one-half grade is used instead of munber 2 grade and the emery cloth first applied while the hat is rotating in one direction and then again applied with the hat rotating in an opposite direction. Therefore,,the fuzz or nap will be picked up, the appearance of plaited or woven straw eliminated and a surface produced which will have the appearance of suede or silky finish. The wire brush is then again applied first to the outside and then to the inside of the hat beginning at the tip :of the crown and continuing to the base of the crown and terminating at the'outer edge of the brim. The last mentioned treatment by the wire brush is performed in. both directions around the brim. As previously explained the use of a wire brush having a soft flexible back is an important step as this permits the required evenness of surface to be obtained and produce in the finished hatthesurface which not only has the appearance of suede or silky felt but also has the feel of suede or felt. .This surface is not perishable as it is not marred by handling,

thechat and the hat may be rolled into a compact mass without being creased or having a rumpledappearance. This treatment also does not affect the water-proof qualities ofthe hat andit will not be damaged if exposed to rain. While it has been stated that the hatstreated in accordancewith this invention 2" are formed of paper it will be understood that hats formed of material other than straw might be so treated if found practical.

From the foregoing description of the construction of my improved method, the opera tion thereof and the method of applying the same to use will. be readily understood. It will be seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive and eflicient means for carrying out the objects of the invention.

NVhile I have particularly described the elements best adapted to perform the functions set forth, it is obvious that various changes in form, proportion and in the minor details of construction may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or sacrificin any of the principles of the invention.

aving thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. A method of transforming a hat formed of inter-engaged paper strands into a hat having a suede-like finish consisting of operating upon the surface of the hat with a coarse abrasive While rotating the hat, then brushing the hat while rotating with a wire brush, then again applying an abrasive of a finer grade to the hat with the hat rotating first in one direction and then in an opposite direction to pick up the nap, and finally again brushing the hat.

2. The method of transforming a hat formed of inter-engaged strands of paper into a hat having a suede-like finish consisting of operating upon the surface of the hat with coarse abrasive to roughen the same while rotating the hat, then applying to the hat a wire brush having a soft flexible back whereby all portions of the hat may be acted upon by the brush, again operating upon the hat with an abrasive of a finer grade than initially used to pick up the nap and cause meeting edges of the paper strands to be concealed, and finally again brushing the hat with the Wire brush to set the nap and produce a silky suede-like surface.

3. The method of transforming a hat formed of inter-engaged paper strands into a hat having a suede-like finish consisting of imparting rotary motion to the hat, applying a coarse abrasive against the rotating hat to roughen the surface thereof and remove the original finish, then applying to the rotating hat a wire brush having a flexible back whereby all portions of the hat may be operated upon, then again applying an abrasive to the hat of a finer grade than initially used with the hat rotating first in one direction and then in an opposite direction to pick up the nap and conceal meeting edges of the paper strands, and finally applying the wire brush to the rotating hat from the tip of the crown to the base of the crown and across the brim of the hat toward the outer margin thereof.

4. A method of transforming a hat formed of inter-engaged paper strands into a hat having a suede-like finish consisting of operating upon the surface of the hat with an abrasive to remove the original finish and roughen the surface of the hat while rotating the hat, brushing the roughened surface of the hat with a wire brush, applying an abrasive of a finer grade than initially used with the hat rotating first in one direction and then in an opposite direction to pick up the nap and conceal meeting edges of the paper strands, and again brushing the hat with the wire brush beginning at the tip of the crown and continuing to the base of the crown and across the brim of the hat to the outer marginal edge thereof, the hat being rotated first in one direction and then in an opposite direction while performing the final brushing operation. I

5. The method of converting a hat formed of inter-woven paper strands into a hat having a suede-like finish consisting in treating the surfaces of the hat with an abrasive to roughen said surfaces to create substantially the nap thereon and then brushing the same.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MAXWVELL SILVER. 

